Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië dated 18 October 1913. The Dutch union was collecting money to pay for dreadnoughts. The caricature shows a dreadnought entering the harbour of Tandjong Priok, Dutch East Indies.
In the first part of the 20th Century was the Netherlands Royal Navy interested in obtaining (nine) dreadnoughts mainly for the defence of the Dutch East Indies. While Dutch shipyards were not able at that moment to build such warships were tenders asked from foreign shipyards. Namely the German shipyards Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft at Kiel, Blohm&Voss at Hamburg, Vulcan Werke at Stettin, Schichau at Danzig, A.G. Weser, at Bremen, the British shipyards of Sir W.G. Armstrong, Elswick, Vickers at London, Beardmore at Glasgow and the Conventry Syndicate/Fairfield Shipbuilding&Co. at London and the Italian shipyards of Stabilimento Technico at Triest and Ansaldo at Sestri Ponente.
The armament was to consist of
:
4x2-35.6cm/14” /45 breech
loading guns in barbettes placed on the centre line, 4 guns were to fire
straight ahead, 4 right astern and 8 on each broadside over the greatest
possible sector on each side and for each gun 100 rounds;
16-15cm/6” quick firing /50 in
casemates with 250 round for each gun. At least 4 guns were to fire straight
ahead and 4 right astern and also a few degrees over the other side of the
centre line and
12-7,5cm/3” quick firing guns
without gun shields to be used as anti-balloon artillery as far as they were
not mounted between decks, for each gun 300 pounds.
4-21” broadside submerged
torpedo tubes. The 2 foremost torpedo tubes were to fire 10-15 degrees before
the beam, the 2 backward torpedo tubes 10-15 degrees abaft the beam and for
each gun 3 torpedoes.
While the Royal Netherlands
Navy since decades for the main armament her ships fitted out with Krupp guns
which performed always well and was trusted by the Dutch naval personnel was a
strong preference for Krupp guns on the battleships to be built.
Main armour belt at least 25cm
thick, sloping to the fore and aft ends with the lower limit no rising out of
the water with the ship trimmed to trial displacement heeled over an angle of
minimum 7 degrees. The 6” gun casemates were to protected by 18cm thick armour,
the barbettes and conning tower by at least 30cm thick armour. Further more
armoured decks and bulkheads and the lower parts of the funnel protected. The
armour was to made of Krupp cemented steel. Longitudinal nickel steel made
bulkheads, torpedo nets and booms were to be used as anti torpedo protection.
Accommodation required for 35
officers, 15 engineers, 19 warrant officers, 36 petty officers and around 800
sailors.
As the battleship was to serve
in the tropics [the Dutch East Indies] were good cooling devices for the
ammunitions a necessity. There were two separate similar refrigerating plants
acquired, each able to cool all ammunition magazines at the same time to a
maximum allowed temperature of 28 degrees.
The Dutch shipyard Kon. Mij.
De Schelde seek cooperation with the British Coventry Syndicate. This syndicate
consisted of John Brown&Company, Cannell, Laird&Company, The Fairfield
Shipbuilding and Engineering Company and the Coventry Ordnance Works. The
intention was that the first dreadnought was to be built in the United Kingdom
for which the Dutch shipyard got a financial compensation. If there was a
second one to be built, was to be done
at the Dutch shipyard with assistance of the syndicate. On 29th
May1914 was a tender sent by the syndicate. All firms in the syndicate were
familiar with building and arming battleships like 5 of the Dreadnought type. Due
to the outbreak of the First World War were never dreadnoughts built for the
Dutch fleet.
The tender was for a
battleship with as normal displacement 24.600 tons and as dimensions 590 (on
waterline) x 88.5 (extreme) x 28’6” (normal) feet.
There were two option for
machinery to be delivered. Direct-acting main turbines with geared cruising
turbines delivering 35.000 [33.000] shp full power, 4.000 [3.750] hp for 12
knots and an range of 3.000 knots and an oil fuel bunker capacity of 850 [650] tons
and for 6.000 knots a bunker capacity of 1.700 [1.200] ton. Oil fuel
consumption per shp per hour at 12 knots per hour main engines 1.45 [1.24] and
auxiliaries 0.45 [.2] lbs totally 1.90 [1.44] lbs. Steam per bhp per hour
turbines only at full power 12.0 [11.25] lbs, at 50% full power 14.7 [12.3] lbs
and at 15% full power 16,1 [16.5] lbs. Horsepower astern around 15.000 [15.000]
shp. Total weight of machinery with water and 250 tons of spare gear 2.325 [2.125]
tons. The second option was geared main turbines with compound geared cruising
turbines, the figures for this option were between brackets.
The designed minimum speed was
22 knots. With an oil bunker capacity of 2.000 tons was a range of 6.000 knots
(?) possible. Building costs excluded all guns and the 7,5cm/3” quick firing
gun mountings 1.959.920 pound sterling. Additional price for all guns and the
3” quick firing gun mountings of own design and manufacture 189.850 pound
sterling. She was to be delivered within 24 months from the date of signature
of the contract and approval of the principal drawings ready for trials at the
British port where she was built. The main armament was to consist of 4x2-14” breech
loading guns which could be if wanted of Krupp manufacture, 16-6” breech
loading guns, 12-3” anti aircraft guns and 21” torpedo tubes.
Total displacement of 24.600
tons: hull and fittings 8.650 ton, protective decks and bulkheads 2.400 ton,
armour and bolts 4.825 ton, armament 4.450 tons, fuel for a range of 3.000
knots with a speed of 12 knots 850 ton, equipment 1.000 ton and margin 100 ton.
Armour and bolts 4.825 ton:
armour belt 2.500 ton, armour battery for 6” guns 491 ton, barbette armour
1.212 ton, armour bulkheads, conning tower and director tower 590 ton and
armoured tubes 32 ton.
Equipment 1.000 ton: fresh
water 200 ton, provisions 135 ton, crew, mess provisions etc. 200 ton , masts
107 ton and complete inventory of ship, warrant officers, stores, anchors,
torpedo nets, boats etc. 358 ton.
Sources
Archive Kon. Mij. De Schelde
1875-1970 (Municipality Archive Vlissingen, Netherlands) inventory number
214.1818.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_1913_battleship_proposal
